Recently we've experienced some great growth, but this has also brought with it some confusion over our equipment use policy, along with some misuse of tools, including significant damage to some.

Most tools in the Hack Factory are available for anyone to use, however several members choose to keep special purpose tools that may be easy to damage through misuse or that have a lot of consumable material. There are also a number of tools that can be of significant danger if mis-used in the space.

While the intent of our community is collaborative, many members work on personal projects, and need particular tools or materials that we can not currently, or do not provide, at their own expense. Many members have chosen to loan some of these tools to our community, some have not for a variety of personal reasons.

As such, with little fanfare (up to now) a few months back the board of directors with our shop manager decided to enact a tool labeling program so that folks can see at a glance what tools are available for them to use and so that we as a organization can keep track of what belongs to whom. We've finally got this rolling. Several posters have gone up in the shop explaining the meanings of the various stickers. If you have a tool that belongs to you, or that you donated to us, please refer to the set of stickers, and how to decide what sticker flyer that's pinned up in the office.

Members are expected to abide by these labels, and misuse of the system would be most un-excellent.

We're still trying to sus out some sort of label system for personally owned supplies. As things stand, the shelving surrounding the "paint room" is designated member project/materials storage, and if you need to leave things here for a while, you must label things there or if that is full, if you place them elsewhere. Several drawers in the basement, and shelves in the stairway are also used for personal storage, and must be labeled. Items in a drawer or on a shelf labeled with someone's name on them are theirs. Do not use them without their permission.

For several weeks there were signs that someone had been using my bench, including the tool I kept there for my personal use. day after day little signs appeared, a couple of insignificant cut in the bench pin made by someone who did not keep the quarter inch chain saw file level when they were using it indicated that the project was probably a pair of lockpicks, which makes me think that they also may have been using my metal stock or some half finished picks I had worked on. Clear evidence of someone getting into the bench drawer that I had tried to lock appeared in the form of a groove that was made by forcing it open when the screw was in and a second hole that was made when the person found the screw and started removing it fully from the wood and replaced it by starting another hole for the screw.

other signs were my toothbrush being uncased and left with the the toothbrush and its case in parts, an envelope of photos that I had put in the drawer was found in the lounge area of the 'familyroom". other signs as well were noted.

I asked Jude whom I trust to use my things, if he had been in the drawers, but he had not. and I asked Mike the kilt and he also answered no. he is expected to tell me if hes using my stuff. No one is allowed to use the difficult to replace grobet ten inch fourthcut rattail file that when you can locate one online costs $40 and $10 shipping and is very necessary for what I do. I need this file and cannot replace it at the local hardware store. That is for me alone.

There was some discussion about who it could be and this created some suspicions but no evidence. I removed a heavy box of interesting locks I had kept in the drawer and they are not coming back. Speculation among Jude, Brandon, and I was that whoever it was was coming in late at night.

*** Edited by metis and orion as inappropriate content for the forums ***

I intend to rent a space and turn in my key fob if this is not completely dealt with and soon..

*** Edited by metis and orion as inappropriate content for the forums ***

Ray

***This was edited due to specific issues involving one or more other individuals, which need to be addressed by non-involved board members in a possible disciplinary action. The board has retained the note, and will be discussing the matter with parties involved in the near future. As we as a group grow we are bound to have clashes of personalities, however the appropriate means for dealing with this is by speaking to a non-involved board member about it. The issue in question has been on the Board's radar, however still needs further resolution.***